To most people, archaeology means excavation. In reality, most archaeological discovery occurs in the laboratory where detailed maps are drawn; objects are measured, classified, and counted; samples are chemically or physically analyzed; and data are statistically evaluated. Students will be introduced to laboratory methods through a project-oriented, hands-on format utilizing the collections housed in the archaeology laboratory. A major focus of the course will be on the inferential processes through which archaeologists recover and understand the past. |